Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to Conclude National Tour at NJPAC in 2026

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will complete its 20-city coast-to-coast United States tour at Newark's New Jersey Performing Arts Center from Friday-Sunday, May 8-10, 2026. In what has become a Mother's Day weekend tradition for tri-state residents, the AILEY Company returns for the 27th time as NJPAC's Principal Resident Affiliate, performing annually at Prudential Hall since 1997 (except for 2020-21 pandemic shutdown). The passionate spirit and incredible technique of AILEY's dancers will be showcased in three performances featuring different programs of exciting new works by today's top contemporary choreographers - Jazz Island by Maija García, Embrace by Fredrick Earl Mosley, Difference Between by Matthew Neenan, and Song of the Anchorite by Jamar Roberts. The season, programmed jointly by artistic director Alicia Graf Mack and associate artistic director Matthew Rushing, also features the company premiere of Medhi Walerski's Blink of an Eye. The finale of all programs is Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece, Revelations, which has captivated audiences globally since 1960.

The Company's milestone season raises the curtain on AILEY's next era under the leadership of new Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack, the renowned dancer and educator, guided as ever by Alvin Ailey's pioneering legacy. A star performer on the AILEY stage, where she enjoyed a spectacular career between 2005 and 2014, Ms. Graf Mack was brought into the Company and mentored by the incomparable Judith Jamison. After Ms. Graf Mack's retirement from performing, she went on to distinguish herself as the Dean and Director of the Dance Division of The Juilliard School. She now returns to AILEY as only the fourth Artistic Director in the Company's nearly 70-year history, going back to Alvin Ailey himself.

The return to NJPAC also marks the homecoming of Newark's very own Christopher Taylor, an AILEY Company dancer since 2022 who studied at AileyCamp in Newark when he was 11 years old. "My mom and I used to see Ailey at NJPAC on Mother's Day, so performing here with the company is such a full-circle moment," said Taylor. "Furthermore, I performed at NJPAC in AileyCamp for many years. My roots are back home. I'm an example of a Newark native who had goals, and I accomplished them. This alone inspires people, and I know because I've been inspired by watching Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as a kid. I'm honored and humbled to be able to perform for my city."

Additional NJPAC activities include: the free, family-friendly AILEY DAY of community dance classes (Apr 11), a Schooltime Performance for local students (May 8), and the annual summer AileyCamp in Newark for youth ages 11-14 (Jul-Aug).

NEW JERSEY PREMIERES

Jazz Island - Maija García's first work for AILEY, a Caribbean folktale comes to life through ancestral rhythms and divine intervention. Inspired by Geoffrey Holder's "Black Gods, Green Islands" and featuring an original score by Etienne Charles, this theatrical staging explores the spiritual dimensions of human drama and the connective force of love across the Afro-Caribbean diaspora.

Embrace - Embrace by Frederick Earl Mosley examines the ups and downs of human connections-messy, beautiful, and everything in between. Set to popular songs by Stevie Wonder, Kate Bush, Des'ree, Ed SHeeran, and P!nk, this world premiere explores what it takes to love deeply, heal fully, and embrace the journey with open arms.

Difference Between - Matthew Neenan's choreographic debut with AILEY features his signature wild abandon and gestural playfulness. In this world premiere, acclaimed singer and composer Heather Christian contributes her raw power to an intricate world of strange tensions, potent griefs, and quiet loves.

Song of the Anchorite - Renowned AILEY choreographer Jamar Roberts gives a fresh take on the 1961 solo Hermit Songs, Alvin Ailey's reaction to a set of medieval religious texts and the haunting song cycle by Samuel Barber that they inspired. The result is a powerful meditation on passion and devotion danced to music by jazz trumpeter Avishai Cohen.

COMPANY PREMIERE